Mayor Coleen J. Seng and the City Public Works and Utilities Department said
“pothole season” is under way and are encouraging citizens to report potholes
that need to be repaired. Potholes are created when water seeps into cracks in
the pavement, freezes and expands.

“We are having a wet and cold winter so far, and that means there are more
potholes to repair,” said Mayor Seng. “City street crews have been working
diligently to repair potholes between the snowstorms. We all want to keep our
streets in good condition, so we appreciate the help of the public in letting us
know where repairs are needed.”

Citizens can report potholes and other street problems in three ways:

Call the Pothole Hotline at 441-7646.

Use the online, interactive “ACTION” (Acting with Citizens to Improve our
Neighborhoods) system available on the City Web site. The system is available
at lincoln.ne.gov (click on “City Service Requests” on the home page or use
the keyword ACTION). This form also may be used to report stormwater, snow
and ice problems.

Once a pothole is reported, the goal is to have it repaired by the end of the following workday.

The City repairs potholes year round, but this is the busiest time of the year
for pothole repair. Since January 1, street crews have repaired about 3,000 potholes,
including more than 800 since Tuesday morning. Typically, Public Works repairs
between 12,000 and 15,000 potholes every year, using between 600 and 700 tons of
patching material.

Motorists are asked to be aware that re-freezing at night can create icy street
conditions. Drivers also are encouraged to be especially careful as they drive
around crews making street repairs.